1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a method and apparatus for authenticating one-of-a-kind, or one-of-a limited number of collectibles, memorabilia, or other unique items and in particular to a method and apparatus for registering, authenticating, and archiving data representing one-of-a-kind or one-of-a limited number of unique items and/or memorabilia. Archived data particularly includes ownership history.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 And 1.98
There is an enormous market for one-of-a-kind or one-of-a limited number of memorabilia or collectibles, hereinafter referred to as unique items.
xe2x80x9cMemorabiliaxe2x80x9d as defined by Webster (and as used herein) means xe2x80x9cThings worth remembering, gathered as a hobby.xe2x80x9d This terminology encompasses an unlimited number of categories, including but not limited to, trading cards, sports apparel and equipment, dolls, plates, die cast products, paintings, and the like.
Further, the term xe2x80x9caftermarketxe2x80x9d, as used herein, means the established venue for the reselling of any item (beyond original purchase) by collectors/investors. As stated earlier, there is an enormous market for such unique items. For instance, well-known companies such as the Franklin Mint will produce a limited number of some type of memorabilia such as plates, statutes, pictures, and the like. Each of these items may be sold as xe2x80x9cone of nxe2x80x9d number of such items and the number of the item is printed on or associated with the item or memorabilia. As an example, if a limited edition of a thousand prints of a particular picture are produced and numbered, the sequential notation on each one will read xe2x80x9c1 of 1000, 2 of 1000, 3 of 1000, . . . 1000 of 1000xe2x80x9d.
In addition, trading cards for almost every conceivable subject exists. Particularly, trading cards are a large market in the sports field. There are limited editions of pictures of various athletes in various fields of sport, such as football, baseball, basketball, and the like. Some of these pictures have great value because they are printed in limited numbers.
In addition, a celebrity (sports, movies, music, etc.) or sometimes a group of celebrities will hold an autograph session where they will sign almost any item a fan or collector puts in front of them. It is not unusual for a business to enter a contract with the celebrity(s) where, for a fee, they will sign a limited number of items either provided by the business or brought to the signing location by the fan. Since such autographed item often has great value it, would also be desirable to register and archive the details surrounding such an autographed item.
Several concerns exist with this type of unique collectible item. First, if you purchase one of such unique items from a dealer, another person, or from any other source and it states that this item is number xe2x80x9c2 of 1000xe2x80x9d, there is no way to know (1) if the object or item is the real item or if it is a forgery, (2) whether all items or memorabilia in the set have been sold (i.e., 1000 out of 1000 or just 5 out of 1000), (3) the approximate value of the items or memorabilia without knowing the answer to (1) and (2) above, or (4) even if the item is clearly authentic, is the seller the true owner or authorized agent or was the item stolen.
Thus, it would be advantageous to have a method and system for registering, authenticating, and archiving relevant and accurate data associated with each unique item, or one of a limited number item especially if the system is credible and not easily corrupted by fraudulent intent or by error. According to the present invention, when one of the unique items or memorabilia is purchased, encoded data associated therewith is sent to the authenticating system or central clearing house where it is compared with the data registered and archived therein for that particular unique item or memorabilia. From such data or information it can be determined if the item is a genuine one-of-a-kind or one-of-a limited number item or whether it is a forgery or fake. One can also determine the number of the memorabilia in a set that has been sold and archived and, thus, have an idea of the value of the memorabilia just purchased. In addition, the ownership history of each archived item can be tracked and reviewed if desired.
The present invention provides an authentication system or xe2x80x9ccentral clearing housexe2x80x9d that receives uniquely coded identifying data from an owner or manufacturer representing a unique item, including autographed items or individual ones of a particular set of collectibles or memorabilia. The uniquely coded identification data is also attached to or associated with each of the unique items in some manner. For instance, a magnetic strip containing the encoded identifying data as well as a manufacturer""s code may be placed on individual cards, or a bar code containing the encoded data and the manufacturer""s identifying data may be placed on a one-of-a-kind object. Alternatively, either a bar code or a magnetic strip may be placed on a tag, card, or other item associated with or attached to each of the one-of-a-kind or one of a limited number unique items for identifying the same. In addition, secure personal information specifically related to the manufacturer or owner such as a PIN or personal identification number may also be associated with each unique item.
Thus, the owner, manufacturer of the unique items or items, or business hosting an autograph session may send the encoded data representing each individual item along with the secure personal identification number to the authentication system or to a central clearing house for such purposes as registering, archiving, authentication, ownership tracking and buying or selling.
According to one embodiment, when the product is originally sold or about to be sold or authenticated, the purchaser may contact the authentication system or central clearing house of this invention and provide the uniquely coded identification of the one-of-a limited number or unique item. This may be done by any suitable manner such as, keying in by computer or touch tone telephone or even by reading (such as by a Veriphone) a bar code or magnetic strip located on the item or a tag associated with the item. At this time or at any point during communications with the authentication system of this invention, selected purchaser information could also be added to the encoded data to form combined data. The combined data (purchaser data plus unique object identification) can then be compared with the registered and archived encoded data for that particular unique item and an authentication signal or non-authentication signal is then provided by the authentication system or central clearing house.
In addition, the authentication system of this invention is equally effective for use with the after market or subsequent sale of unique items already registered and archived in the system. That is, a seller and buyer both having access to the authentication system of this invention may carry out a transaction by providing encoded personal security information in addition to the encoded data representation of the unique item. After the process is complete, the buyer will then be registered in the system as the new owner and will have control over any future change in the recorded or registered ownership data related to the item. In a preferred embodiment, a fee will be required by the authentication system before a change in the registered ownership is effected. Typically, a copy of the transaction will be provided at least to the buyer indicating that he is now the registered owner of the item. Preferably, a copy of the transaction will also be provided to the seller. Selected details of the transaction such as the name of the buyer and seller and the transaction date are then a part of the archived information such that a complete record of the ownership history of the item is available for review no matter how many past sales have been made.
According to one embodiment of the invention, updating registered ownership of the unique items from a present registered owner to a subsequent registered owner by the authentication system may proceed as follows. To update or record the new registered ownership of a unique item which has previously been registered and archived by the authentication system, it will be recalled that secure personal information associated with the manufacturer or present owner (such as a confidential PIN or Personal Identification Number) was also associated with each unique item so as to xe2x80x9clockxe2x80x9d information defining the ownership of the item. Thus, the information cannot be changed or updated unless the confidential PIN is provided along with a request for such a change. In a preferred embodiment, once the present owner has agreed to a sale or has completed negotiations for a sale of the item, he contacts the authentication system and releases or disassociates his PIN or Personal Identification Number from that item. Typically, this would occur after the present owner has received the required payment or a promise to pay, etc. The new or subsequent owner then accesses the authentication system and calls up the unique item by providing the unique encoded data which is associated solely with the item. The new owner then provides new registered ownership identifying information along with his own PIN or Personal Identification Number to the authentication system so that his PIN is now associated with the item and the information is again locked. The locked information cannot be changed until the new registered owner releases or disassociates his PIN from the item. According to a preferred embodiment, such registering of a new subsequent owner is accomplished by the present (or old) owner and the potential (or new) owner accessing a website associated with the authentication system.
As discussed, the authentication system or central clearing house may have a computer website to which access may be had by the manufacturer, buyers and sellers, and, or course, the authentication system.
Thus, any registered unique item may be placed on the website for viewing by website users. Should a website user find a one-of-a-kind memorabilia or unique item that he wishes to purchase, then, according to one embodiment, he may respond to the website inquiring about that particular one-of-a-kind memorabilia. The authentication system or central clearing house can then contact either the purchaser directly or the participating site to inquire if the object is for sale and for what price. The central clearing house would then be an agent for the seller.
Alternatively, as was discussed above, when the buyer and seller both have access to the authentication system, they may carry out all negotiation and financial transactions directly and in private and only use the system for authentication and new owner registration.
Thus it is an object of the present invention to provide an authentication system or clearing house where authentication of a purchased unique item such as memorabilia or one of a limited number may be obtained.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method and system in which each unique item has a unique identification code associated with it and all of the codes for all such items are recorded and archived in the central clearing house.
It is a further object of the present invention for providing a system comprising a seller""s or manufacturer""s code which uniquely identifies a unique item with the code attached to a purchased item or items for sale to authenticate the unique item.
It is also an object of the present invention to enable the data recorded and archived in the central clearing house to be posted on a computer website for access by website users thereby enabling website users to shop for unique items that are recorded and archived.
Thus, the present invention relates to a method of authenticating ownership of unique items such as one-of-a-kind memorabilia, including autographed items that is available for purchase comprising the steps of associating coded data with each individual unique item that uniquely identifies the unique item; registering and archiving the data uniquely identifying the unique item in a central clearing house or authentication system; and authenticating a purchase of the unique item by comparing the uniquely encoded data associated with the purchased item with registered uniquely coded data in the authentication system or central clearing house corresponding to the purchased unique item.
The invention also relates to a system for registering, authenticating, and archiving unique items comprising associating encoded data with each unique item for uniquely identifying each unique item; a central clearing house or authentication system for receiving the encoded data representing the unique item; a consumer site or website for providing the encoded data uniquely identifying each unique item to the authentication system; selected purchaser information being added to the uniquely encoded data to form combined data to be sent to the authentication system or central clearing house; and a comparator in the authentication system for authenticating the purchased unique item by comparing at least a portion of the stored combined data in the central clearing house with the unique identifying code associated with the purchased item.
The system also relates to a system and method for authenticating the sale of a previously registered unique item and for archiving and registering a new authentic owner of the unique item.
For example, the authentication system of the invention is effective for use with the after market or subsequent sales of unique items already registered and archived in the system. That is, a seller and buyer who have access to the authentication system of this invention, may carry out a transaction by providing encoded personal security information in addition to the encoded data representative of the unique item. The buyer will then be registered in the system as the new owner and will have control over any future change in the recorded or registered ownership of the item. In a preferred embodiment, a fee will be required by the authentication system before a change in the registered ownership is effected. Typically, a copy of the transaction will be provided at least to the buyer indicating that he is now the registered owner of the item. Selected details of the transaction, such as the name of the buyer and seller and the transaction date are then a part of the archived information such that a complete record of the ownership of the item is available for review no matter how many past sales have been made.
The process of updating registered ownership of the unique items from a present registered owner to a subsequent registered owner by the authentication system would typically proceed as follows. To update or record the new registered ownership of a unique item which has previously been registered and archived by the authentication system, second unique data associated with the present owner such as a confidential PIN or Personal Identification Number, is also associated with the unique item so as to prevent any change to information defining the ownership of the item unless the confidential PIN is provided along with a request for such a change. In a preferred embodiment, once the present owner is satisfied with the condition of a sale of the item, he contacts the authentication system an releases or disassociates his PIN from that item. Typically this would occur after the present owner has received the required payment or a promise to pay, etc. The new or subsequent owner then accesses the authentication system and calls up the unique item by providing the unique encoded data which is associated solely with the item. The new owner then provides ownership identifying information and his own PIN to the authentication system so that his PIN is now associated with the item and the information is again locked. In a preferred embodiment, before the system will effect and record the ownership change, the new owner will be required to pay a recording fee. This may be accomplished in many known ways, including posting a charge to an account or authorizing payment by a credit card, etc. The locked information cannot be changed until the now registered owner releases or disassociates his PIN from the item. Accordingly, to a preferred embodiment, such registering of a new subsequent owner is accomplished by the present (or old) owner and the potential (or new) owner accessing a website associated with the authentication system.